Team USA vs Japan Preview and Prediction for 2024 Paris Olympics Women's Basketball | July 29, 2024
The USA women's basketball team will begin its quest for an eighth consecutive Olympic Games gold medal on Monday against Japan in a rematch of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medal game.
Under the guidance of coach Cheryl Reeve, Team USA are the prime contenders to finish at the top of the podium. Team USA's 12-member roster is packed with the best basketball players in the world, including A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart.
Team USA competed in two games in the lead up to the Summer Games. In the WNBA All-Star Game against Team WNBA, A'ja Wilson & Co. suffered a 116-109 loss in Phoenix. In an exhibition game against Germany in London, Cheryl Reeve's group registered a resounding 84-57 victory.
On the flipside, Japan, which won the silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, doesn't boast the same star power and will be the underdog heading into Monday's game.
Japan's hopes of repeating its heroics from the Tokyo Olympics will largely depend on Rui Machida and Mai Yamamoto. Machida dropped a record 18 assists during Japan's semifinal win over France in Tokyo.
Yamamoto won the MVP award in the 2024 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament after putting on a scintillating display. The 24-year-old averaged 17.0 points on 62% shooting from the field during the tournament.
Team USA vs. Japan: Preview, prediction and odds
Team USA vs. Japan is scheduled to take place at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille, France on Monday. The tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT). The game will be telecast live on the NBC network and streamed on Peacock, NBCSports.com and Fubo.
Moneyline: Team USA (-3200) vs. Japan (+1400)
Spread: Team USA (-19.5) vs. Japan (+19.5)
Total: 161.5 (-110)
Editor's note: The odds could change closer to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.
Team USA vs. Serbia: Rosters
Team USA roster for Paris Olympics: A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Sabrina Ionescu, Napheesa Collier, Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum, Jewell Loyd, Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Alyssa Thomas
Japan roster for Paris Olympics: Himawari Akaho, Saki Hayashi, Rui Machida, Evelyn Mawuli, Stephanie Mawuli, Saori Miyazaki, Yuki Miyazawa, Nako Motohashi, Maki Takada, Nanako Todo, Mai Yamamoto, Asami Yoshida
Team USA vs. Serbia: Prediction
The USA women's basketball team has been utterly dominant at the Olympics. Team USA is on a 55-game win streak at the quadrennial competition and boasts an overall record of 72-3 in the Summer Games. Given the disparity in talent, skill and experience between the two teams, expect the USA to cruise to a victory.